PRENATAL

MA. SHEILA BLOSSOM B. BO RM,RN,MME

OVERVIEW

• PREGNANCY CARE CONSISTS OF PRENATAL (BEFORE

BIRTH) AND POSTPARTUM (AFTER BIRTH)
HEALTHCARE FOR EXPECTANT MOTHERS.
• IT INVOLVES TREATMENTS AND TRAININGS TO
ENSURE A HEALTHY PRE-PREGNANCY, PREGNANCY,
AND LABOR AND DELIVERY FOR MOM AND BABY.
PRENATAL CARE

• PRENATAL CARE HELPS DECREASE RISKS DURING PREGNANCY AND

INCREASES THE CHANCE OF A SAFE AND HEALTHY DELIVERY.
REGULAR PRENATAL VISITS CAN HELP YOUR DOCTOR MONITOR
YOUR PREGNANCY AND IDENTIFY ANY PROBLEMS OR
COMPLICATIONS BEFORE THEY BECOME SERIOUS.
• BABIES BORN TO MOTHERS WHO LACK PRENATAL CARE HAVE
TRIPLE THE CHANCE OF BEING BORN AT A LOW BIRTH WEIGHT.
NEWBORNS WITH LOW BIRTH WEIGHT ARE FIVE TIMES MORE
LIKELY TO DIE THAN THOSE WHOSE MOTHERS RECEIVED PRENATAL
CARE.
• PRENATAL CARE IDEALLY STARTS AT LEAST THREE MONTHS BEFORE
YOU BEGIN TRYING TO CONCEIVE. SOME HEALTHY HABITS TO
FOLLOW DURING THIS PERIOD INCLUDE:
• QUITTING SMOKING AND DRINKING ALCOHOL
• TAKING FOLIC ACID SUPPLEMENTS DAILY (400 TO 800 MICROGRAMS)
• TALKING TO YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT YOUR MEDICAL CONDITIONS,
DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS, AND ANY OVER-THE-COUNTER OR
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS THAT YOU TAKE
• AVOIDING ALL CONTACT WITH TOXIC SUBSTANCES AND CHEMICALS
AT HOME OR WORK THAT COULD BE HARMFUL
DURING PREGNANCY
• ONCE YOU BECOME PREGNANT, YOU’LL NEED TO SCHEDULE REGULAR HEALTHCARE
APPOINTMENTS THROUGHOUT EACH STAGE OF YOUR PREGNANCY.
• A SCHEDULE OF VISITS MAY INVOLVE SEEING YOUR DOCTOR:
• EVERY MONTH IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS YOU ARE PREGNANT
• EVERY TWO WEEKS IN THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH MONTHS YOU ARE PREGNANT
• EVERY WEEK DURING YOUR NINTH MONTH OF PREGNANCY
• DURING PREGNANCY
• ONCE YOU BECOME PREGNANT, YOU’LL NEED TO SCHEDULE REGULAR HEALTHCARE
APPOINTMENTS THROUGHOUT EACH STAGE OF YOUR PREGNANCY.
• A SCHEDULE OF VISITS MAY INVOLVE SEEING YOUR DOCTOR:
• EVERY MONTH IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS YOU ARE PREGNANT
• EVERY TWO WEEKS IN THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH MONTHS YOU ARE PREGNANT
• EVERY WEEK DURING YOUR NINTH MONTH OF PREGNANCY
• DURING THESE VISITS, YOUR DOCTOR WILL CHECK YOUR HEALTH AND THE
HEALTH OF YOUR BABY.
• VISITS MAY INCLUDE:
• TAKING ROUTINE TESTS AND SCREENINGS, SUCH AS A BLOOD TEST TO CHECK
FOR ANEMIA, HIV, AND YOUR BLOOD TYPE
• MONITORING YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE
• MEASURING YOUR WEIGHT GAIN
• MONITORING THE BABY’S GROWTH AND HEART RATE
• TALKING ABOUT SPECIAL DIET AND EXERCISE
• LATER VISITS MAY ALSO INCLUDE CHECKING THE BABY’S POSITION AND
NOTING CHANGES IN YOUR BODY AS YOU PREPARE FOR BIRTH.
• YOUR DOCTOR MAY ALSO OFFER SPECIAL CLASSES AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF
YOUR PREGNANCY.
• THESE CLASSES WILL:
• DISCUSS WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU ARE PREGNANT
• PREPARE YOU FOR THE BIRTH
• TEACH YOU BASIC SKILLS FOR CARING FOR YOUR BABY
• IF YOUR PREGNANCY IS CONSIDERED HIGH RISK BECAUSE OF YOUR AGE OR
HEALTH CONDITIONS, YOU MAY REQUIRE MORE FREQUENT VISITS AND SPECIAL
CARE. YOU MAY ALSO NEED TO SEE A DOCTOR WHO WORKS WITH HIGH-RISK
PREGNANCIES.